Nintendo Switch has been out for just over a month and having had the pleasure of testing it out at home, abroad, propped up with the kickstand and on a whole series of different modes of public transport, we finally feel ready to deliver our verdict.

We've been using it since launch and nearly every day it's been used in a variety of constantly changing scenarios.

From one day as the perfect portable games console while flying abroad, to other instances where small children have nagged us to give up the TV, only for us to be able to continue with our gaming session undocked on the couch.

It's the most versatile gaming experience we've ever had, and short of a few minor issues, probably one of our favourite consoles released to date.

We've no question that the Switch is head and shoulders better than Nintendo's Wii U console and despite not packing quite the same graphical punch of the Sony PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One S, we're confident that it will soon find its place as one of the dominant consoles on the market.

Nintendo Switch console screenshots

Play your favourite games anytime, anywhere, with anyone, with Nintendo Switch.

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Nintendo Switch Hardware and Software

The Switch is probably one of the smartest consoles we've seen in quite some time. The dual purpose unit has effortlessly dropped into our lives both at home and on our travels.

We've been surprised at how robust and solid the console feels in our hands and equally how lightweight it's been to cart around in our bag.

That screen has also been a pleasant surprise, slightly bigger than a PlayStation Vita or most phablets and just big enough for the occasional split screen Mario Kart Deluxe race.

The dock, while slightly ugly, has served its purpose well, allowing us to hop off our train and ten minutes later continue the adventure on our big screen at home.

Issues with the Joy-Con connectivity reared it's head once, and although it could infuriate fans depending on the position of the console at home, we've managed to luckily avoid these problems for the vast majority of our time with the unit.

The handy Joy-Con grip has done the job when we've required it, but truth be told the Pro Controller is a far more superior when at home, if you can justify the extra expense of £60.

Nintendo Switch Games

A month ago, we probably would have criticised the Switch for its lack of launch games, and despite still looking a little ridiculous on shop shelves given the lack of physical games available, the console shouldn't be criticised too heavily based purely on its opening salvo of game releases.

A month on and the games catalogue is already looking a lot more healthy.

The likes of Snipperclips, Shovel Knight and several NeoGeo classics have certainly helped strengthen the console's eShop outside of the super successful Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild.

Agreed, it would have been nice to have had more options that just Zelda for any early console adopters, but, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe due out next week and more heavy hitters like ARMS and Splatoon 2 on the horizon, there's more than enough to get stuck into.

Our biggest criticism of the Nintendo Switch games is that we think - and still maintain - that 1-2-Switch should have been a free release.

Not only to give fans something fun to jump into and show friends, just like Wii Sports, but also to help demonstrate to as many people as possible all the wonderful features of those Joy-Con's - but certainly not at the ludicrous price of £39.99.

Equally, we see no reason why Nintendo can't release the game as a free demo, if only to showcase the opening six mini-games that you need to complete before you can actually unlock the full experience.

Even the user interface and menu systems have been an enjoyable experience, although we would have probably been a little happier if services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer were also available.

That said, everything about the OS is smart, slick and it seems as though no task is ever more than two clicks away.

Battery Life and Storage

Despite what some people would have you believe the battery life has not proved a problem for us.

Four hours battery while playing more graphically intense games such as Zelda might seem minuscule, but honestly, who goes four hours anywhere these days without encountering some sort of plug socket?

In addition, with the rise of portable power packs, it's becoming even easier to charge on the move, especially with the Switch only requiring that you carry a spare USB C cable.

Equally, while it would appear that Nintendo never learned their lesson over the Wii U's tiny internal storage of 32GB, Switch does at the very least include a microSD card slot, allowing users to bolster that storage just like the PS4 or Xbox One by using external storage to house the majority of games.

A simple look on Amazon will give users plenty of options and you could grab a whopping 128GB microSD card for as little as £40.

NINTENDO SWITCH VERDICT

Nintendo still has a lot of work to do, but there's certainly no denying it, the Nintendo Switch is fantastic and arguably our favourite console release in recent years.

Of what few issues the console does have, many can be easily fixed or will improve over time.

The limited line-up will continue to grow and hopefully, with more third-party releases in the coming months, things will continue to get better and better.

Likewise, issues with the consoles questionable price and lack of game bundles will we're sure be solved by Christmas.

For now, the Switch is unlikely to replace your existing PS4, but come Christmas with more AAA games available and several attractive bundles, it could become a right thorn in the side of Microsoft as they look to sell Xbox Scorpio.

Given time, support and a more attractive lineup of games the Switch could become something really special, arguably Nintendo's greatest accomplishment to date.

The horrible misstep of the Wii U looks to have been wronged and Nintendo is rightly back on track with not only a console to be proud of, but more importantly, a console which could go toe-to-toe with Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox.